Art & Culture

United legend Eric Cantona launches sport-based art exhibition at National Football Museum

Rather fittingly, it opened up on derby day.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 16th January 2023

Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has set up a special sport-based art exhibition in the National Football Museum.

Spotlighting work by fine artist Michael Browne, who created a series of pieces exploring the relationship between sport, art and modern society, the new exhibition covers everything from “human rights, equality, injustice, the impact of power and elevations to a godlike status.”

Cantona has never been one to shy away from his icon status.

Entitled ‘From Moss Side to Marseille’ – referencing Browne and Cantona’s respective places of birth – the exhibition was commissioned by the Frenchman with the aim of celebrating influenced sporting heroes who used their positions to advocate for social change, even in the face of great personal cost.

Michael Browne and Eric Cantona unveiling the new exhibit
Cantona and Sir Alex, a.k.a. The King and The Boss
Credit: National Football Museum

Browne has been creating art since he was a child and his talent was quickly recognised, going on to study at the Chelsea School of Art before completing a Master’s at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has gone on to enjoy exhibits all across the UK, earning him public and critical acclaim.

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Having grown up locally and as a football fan, it was hard for Manchester’s rich sporting heritage not to find its way into his. Similar to fellow artist Stanley Chow, Browne soon became known for his use of sporting figures in his art, though he favours a neoclassical style over polygon-heavy geometric pop art.

Though both the man himself and football feature heavily throughout the installation, the significance of key sporting and cultural icons like Muhammad Ali, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph and more are also highlighted.

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  • Maradona and the Western Wall (2020)
  • Algeria Counter-Revolution (2021)
  • The Art of the Game (1997)
  • England and Brazil Real-estate and Human Rights (2019)
  • Muhammad Ali Freedom Without a Crown (2018)
  • John Carlos and Tommy Smith for 30 Pieces of Silver (2018)
  • Wilma Rudolph Throne of Impermanence. A letter to my Future (2022)
  • Carlos Caszely Theatre of Nightmares (2021)
  • Jesse Owens Scales of Injustice (2017)
  • Eric Cantona Family Portrait (2022)

As for his connection with Cantona, the two influential Mancunian figures struck up a friendship back in 1996, when Browne began working on his famous The Art of the Game painting, which chronicled Cantona’s return to football after his infamous ban. Something about a kung-fu kick?

Eric Cantona Michael Brown exhibition National Football Museum

Debuting on Saturday, 14 January, each piece is said to be ‘oversized’ and inspired by a different sports story throughout history, as well as making a statement about the associated athlete behind it, so there’s plenty to get stuck into.

Visitors will not only get to find out more about Brown and Cantona’s unique relationship through the lens of the exhibition, but they will also get to look at never before seen items from his personal archive.

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Better still, the National Footy Museum will be providing a whole host of activities in conjunction with the exhibition, including a performance by comedy duo Fan/Girl, life drawing sessions, a make-your-own ‘King Eric’ crown during half-term and lots more.

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Writing in a statement on the museum’s website, Michael Browne said: “It has been a pleasure working in partnership with the National Football Museum to curate this exhibition, and it is very fitting for the collection to be debuted in Manchester.”

Cantona touched on his great excitement for the work to finally be seen all in one place, remarking: “There are many unsung heroes featured in the collection and it is time their stories are told.”

Admission is absolutely free, you only need to grab your tickets from the website HERE.

From Moss Side to Marseille: The Art of Michael Browne and Eric Cantona is now on show until June 2023, so be sure to get yourself down there sometime soon.

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Featured Image — National Football Museum/Michael Browne

Art & Culture

A groundbreaking new multi-use entertainment and leisure venue is coming to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones

A new multi-purpose food, drink, entertainment and leisure destination is coming to Manchester city centre and the Salford border this autumn, and you won’t find many places that roll so much into one spot.

Mancs, get ready to welcome ‘Tangerine’.

Conceived by an impressive collective of local creatives, indies and those with plenty of experience catering to the Northern masses, Tangerine is promising everything from multiple resident kitchens, a live music hall, an arthouse stage, a specialist martini bar and more.

Better yet, after a year in the making and quietly chipping away at the striking space, it opens later this month, so you don’t have to wait long to try it for yourselves.

Located on New Bailey Street, just on the edge of Spinningfields and Salford Central, this groundbreaking new venue features two main platforms (utilising the integrated charm of the historic railway arches), each boasting its own selection of attractions.

While platform one will offer a bakery, coffee roastery, wine store and bottle ship, the ‘Canteen Club’ and even a florist, number two will contain the music hall, arthouse stage and the stylish ‘Grand Departures’ bar – serving seven espresso martini alone – Tangerine will deliver a seamless day to night transition.

Arguably, however, the centrepiece is the ‘Cantina Collective’. The food and drink hall promises seven in-house kitchens, showcasing a variety of cuisines.

The opening line-up already confirmed includes Vanda: a family-run Parisian-inspired Ukrainian bakery; Mexican taqueria, PANTERA, burger joint Juicy, as well as Yo Dutchie (a unique fusion of Dutch-Japanese food) and a new Korean/ramen concept from local sushi favourites, Unagi.

Our stomachs are already grumbling just thinking about it.

Tangerine Manchester
tangerine mcr
CGI renders of the completed space. (Credit: Supplied)

Designed not only by the brains behind Northern Quarter’s beloved Mala hidden garden but WANT STUDIOS, who will be ensuring local artists, independents, and traders will be regularly spotlighted, the site will boast a capacity of well over 300 people.

Artyom Dmitrijev, owner of Tangerine and Mala, said in a statement: “Over a year in the making, we’ve used all our experience in design, interiors, architecture and hospitality to create our dream project. A place for all the independents to come together and thrive.”

Andy Windsor, Director of WANT STUDIOS, added: “Tangerine unites the city’s independent kitchens, bar tenders, bakeries and entertainment specialists. It is a unique showcase of what we do in the city. This is a new space for creativity, food, and culture, and we’re proud to be part of it.”

Debuting to the public with a big Halloween weekender on the evening of Friday, 31 October, with another launch event the following Saturday, you can sign up for exclusive early access for free, which could see you score a few freebies to boot.

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Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/Tangerine MCR (via Instagram)

Art & Culture

First vendors confirmed Glossop Market Hall, including two indie Manc traders

Danny Jones Danny Jones First Glossop Market Hall traders confirmed

The first vendors for the upcoming Glossop Market Hall have been announced, and the lineup includes two beloved Greater Manchester independent businesses.

Better still, the third is another noteworthy name from the North West.

Glossop Market Hall is scheduled to launch later this year, setting up shop in the historic town hall complex, where the High Peak Borough Council, a retail shopping arcade and various other municipal buildings have stood in various different iterations for nearly well over a century.

With the Derbyshire town set to celebrate the opening of the newly revamped market hall, those behind the new Glossop attraction have now revealed the first three names set to take up residence there.

As you can see, the biggest names already signed on to cook from one of the six kitchens is a Manchester favourite food hall in its own right: Hello Oriental.

The Pan-Asian paradise not only has a subterranean space below Circle Square, but also at The Trafford Centre, as well as a dessert spin-off in Freight Island.

Indie trader number two comes in the form of B&V Trading, who are based at Stanley Square in Sale and specialise in eco-friendly, UK-made treats, toys and essentials for four-legged friends.

After proving a hit with the locals, their small stall at nearby Altrincham Market has grown to see them open up not just a second site in the leafy Cheshire suburbs of Knutsford back in 2022, but now boast a third location in neighbouring Macclesfield.

Speaking of Macc, local gin and whisky makers, Forest Distillery – based up at the famous Cat and Fiddle Inn pub towards the Peaks – they round out the first wave of regional businesses set to pop up in Glossop Market Hall (GMH) when it finally arrives this winter.

Credit: B&V Trading/Forest Distillery (via IG)/The Manc Eats

And once again, as the update on social media reads: “This is just the beginning”.

Natives, day-trippers and tourists from all over are bound to visit this place when it opens sometime in November (exact date still TBC), and with space not only for a dedicated bar, dining space and a coffee shop, but a total of 17 retail spaces, we can’t wait to see what comes next.

GMH becomes just the latest among a growing trend of food and drink halls popping up all over our part of the country, with virtually every Greater Manchester borough now boasting at least one of their own – or, in the city centre’s case, what feels like a dozen now.

Exhibit number… not sure, we’ve lost track at this point.

Plans lodged to turn Ducie Street Warehouse into huge food hall

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Featured Images — High Peak Borough Council

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